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A quick trick for setting up disc brake pads that saved me a ton of time
I used to fight with those little plastic spacers and a rubber band to hold the pads open while I set up a new caliper. About six months ago, I saw a guy at the shop just use a small, flat 5mm hex key. He slid it between the pads after pushing the pistons back, and it held them perfectly still. I tried it on a Trek Marlin the next day and the whole job took maybe two minutes. Has anyone found a better tool for this, or is the hex key the way to go?
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jade_jenkins7d ago
Oh, brilliant. I always used the proper spacer tool, but that hex key trick is way smarter.
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charlescraig6d ago
Honestly, grab a plastic tire lever when the gap gets too wide. They're cheap, they bend without scratching anything, and they're already in your repair kit. Works every time for me.
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mary_west7d ago
My buddy tried that hex key trick on his old Rockhopper but the pads were so worn the key just fell out. He ended up using a thick guitar pick instead and said it wedged in there perfectly. What do you do when the gap is too big for a hex key?
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